U.S. patent application number 12/881750 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-17 for semiconductor device and data processing system comprising semiconductor device.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.. Invention is credited to Kazuhiko KAJIGAYA, Yasutoshi YAMADA, Soichiro YOSHIDA.
Application Number | 20110063935 12/881750 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43730432 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110063935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YOSHIDA; Soichiro ; et
al. |
March 17, 2011 |
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM COMPRISING
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
Abstract
A semiconductor device comprises a sense amplifier circuit
amplifying a signal transmitted through the bit line, first/second
data lines transmitting the signal amplified by the sense amplifier
circuit, a read amplifier circuit driven by a first voltage and
amplifying the signal; first/second switch circuits controlling
connection between the above components, first/second voltage
setting circuits setting the second/third data lines to a second
voltage lower than the first voltage. A predetermined voltage
obtained by adding the second voltage to a threshold voltage of a
transistor in the second/third switch circuit is applied to the
gate terminal thereof, and ends of the data lines are connected to
the source and drain terminals thereof.
Inventors: |
YOSHIDA; Soichiro; (Tokyo,
JP) ; KAJIGAYA; Kazuhiko; (Tokyo, JP) ;
YAMADA; Yasutoshi; (Tokyo, JP) |
Assignee: |
ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
43730432 |
Appl. No.: |
12/881750 |
Filed: |
September 14, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
365/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11C 11/4091 20130101;
G11C 11/4096 20130101; G11C 11/4097 20130101; G11C 7/1048 20130101;
G11C 7/1069 20130101; G11C 7/1051 20130101; G11C 2207/002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
365/207 |
International
Class: |
G11C 7/06 20060101
G11C007/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 15, 2009 |
JP |
2009-213807 |
Claims
1. A semiconductor device capable of selectively reading and
transmitting data stored in a plurality of memory cells through a
bit line, the semiconductor device comprising: a sense amplifier
circuit amplifying a signal transmitted through the bit line; a
first data line transmitting the signal amplified by the sense
amplifier circuit; a second data line transmitting the signal
transmitted through the first data line; a read amplifier circuit
driven by a first voltage, the read amplifier amplifying the signal
transmitted through the second data line; a first switch circuit
controlling an electrical connection between corresponding ends of
an output node of the sense amplifier circuit and the first data
line; a second switch circuit controlling an electrical connection
between corresponding ends of the first and second data lines; a
third switch circuit controlling an electrical connection between
corresponding ends of the second data line and an input node of the
read amplifier circuit; a first voltage setting circuit setting the
first data line to a second voltage lower than the first voltage;
and a second voltage setting circuit setting the second data line
to the second voltage, wherein each of the second and third switch
circuits includes a first transistor having a gate terminal, a
source terminal and a drain terminal, and a predetermined voltage
obtained by adding the second voltage to a threshold voltage of the
first transistor is applied to the gate terminal thereof, and the
corresponding ends are connected to the source and drain terminals
thereof.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a voltage
amplitude of the second data line is smaller than a voltage
amplitude of the first data line.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a voltage
amplitude of the input node of the read amplifier circuit is larger
than a voltage amplitude of the second data line.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a
potential of the first data line is shifted from the second voltage
to a third voltage in a first direction corresponding to first data
read out to the sense amplifier circuit, and is shifted to a fourth
voltage in a second direction opposite to the first direction or is
maintained at the second voltage corresponding to second data
different from the first data, and a potential of the second data
line is shifted from the second voltage to a fifth voltage in the
first direction corresponding to the first data, and is maintained
at the second voltage corresponding to the second data.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first
transistor of the second switch circuit becomes conductive when a
potential at the end of the second switch circuit is shifted from
the second voltage to a third voltage in a first direction
corresponding to first data read out to the sense amplifier, and
the first transistor of the second switch circuit becomes
non-conductive when a potential at the end of the second switch
circuit is shifted from the second voltage to a forth voltage in a
second direction opposite to the first direction or is maintained
at the second voltage corresponding to second data different from
the first data.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the first
transistor of the third switch circuit becomes conductive when a
potential at the end of the second switch circuit is shifted from
the second voltage to a fifth voltage in the first direction
corresponding to the first data, and the first transistor of the
third switch circuit becomes non-conductive corresponding to the
second data, and maintains a state of being non-conductive when the
second data line is maintained at the second voltage.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the sense
amplifier circuit has a differential configuration amplifying a
voltage difference between a pair of bit lines as a complementary
pair, each of the first and second data lines is composed of a pair
of data lines corresponding to the pair of bit lines, and the read
amplifier circuit has a differential configuration amplifying a
voltage difference between a pair of input nodes corresponding to
the pair of data lines.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first
switch circuit is a pair of transistors each having the gate
terminal to which a first control signal is applied, the second
switch circuit is a pair of the first transistors each having the
gate terminal to which a second control signal is applied, and the
third switch circuit is a pair of the first transistors each having
the gate terminal to which a third control signal is applied.
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the pair
of the transistors of the first switch circuit becomes conductive
when the first control signal is controlled to be equal to or
larger than the first voltage, the pair of the first transistors of
the second switch circuit becomes conductive when the second
control signal is controlled to be the predetermined voltage, and
the pair of the first transistors of the third switch circuit
becomes conductive when the third control signal is controlled to
be the predetermined voltage.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein each of
the first and second voltage setting circuits includes a pair of
transistors each having a source terminal to which the second
voltage is applied, and each of drain terminals of the pair of
transistors is connected to a line of each of the pair of data
lines.
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein in the
first voltage setting circuit, a fourth control signal is applied
to each of gate terminals of the pair of transistors, and, in the
second voltage setting circuit, a fifth control signal is applied
to each of gate terminals of the pair of the first transistors.
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the
second voltage is set to an intermediate voltage between the first
voltage and a ground potential.
13. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the
sense amplifier circuit has a single ended configuration amplifying
a signal voltage transmitted through one bit line, each of the
first and second data lines is one line corresponding to the one
bit line, and the read amplifier circuit has a single ended
configuration amplifying a signal voltage transmitted through the
one bit line.
14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein, in the
single ended sense amplifier circuit, the one bit line is connected
to a gate terminal of a transistor as an input node of the sense
amplifier circuit, and the single ended sense amplifier circuit
amplifies and outputs the signal voltage of the one bit line to the
output node.
15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the
first switch circuit is one transistor having the gate terminal to
which a first control signal is applied, the second switch circuit
is one first transistor having the gate terminal to which a second
control signal is applied, and the third switch circuit is one
first transistors having the gate terminal to which a third control
signal is applied.
16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein the one
transistor of the first switch circuit becomes conductive when the
first control signal is controlled to be equal to or larger than
the first voltage, the first transistor of the second switch
circuit becomes conductive when the second control signal is
controlled to be the predetermined voltage, and the first
transistor of the third switch circuit becomes conductive when the
third control signal is controlled to be the predetermined
voltage.
17. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the
first voltage setting circuit is a transistor having a drain
terminal connected to the first data line, a source terminal to
which the second voltage is applied, and a gate terminal to which a
fourth control signal is applied, and the second voltage setting
circuit is a transistor having a drain terminal connected to the
second data line, a source terminal to which the second voltage is
applied, and a gate terminal to which a fifth control signal is
applied.
18. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the
second voltage is set to an intermediate voltage between the first
voltage and a ground potential.
19. A data processing system comprising: a semiconductor device;
and a controller connected to the semiconductor device through a
bus, the controller processing data stored in the semiconductor
device and controlling an operation of the system as a whole and an
operation of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device
being capable of selectively reading and transmitting data stored
in a plurality of memory cells through a bit line, and the
semiconductor device comprising: a sense amplifier circuit
amplifying a signal transmitted through the bit line; a first data
line transmitting the signal amplified by the sense amplifier
circuit; a second data line transmitting the signal transmitted
through the first data line; a read amplifier circuit driven by a
first voltage, the read amplifier amplifying the signal transmitted
through the second data line; a first switch circuit controlling an
electrical connection between corresponding ends of an output node
of the sense amplifier circuit and the first data line; a second
switch circuit controlling an electrical connection between
corresponding ends of the first and second data lines; a third
switch circuit controlling an electrical connection between
corresponding ends of the second data line and an input node of the
read amplifier circuit; and a first voltage setting circuit setting
the first data line to a second voltage lower than the first
voltage; a second voltage setting circuit setting the second data
line to the second voltage, wherein each of the second and third
switch circuits includes a first transistor having a gate terminal,
a source terminal and a drain terminal, and a predetermined voltage
obtained by adding the second voltage to a threshold voltage of the
first transistor is applied to the gate terminal thereof, and the
corresponding ends are connected to the source and drain terminals
thereof.
20. The data processing system according to claim 19, wherein the
controller includes a command issuing circuit sending commands to
the semiconductor device through the bus, and a data processing
circuit sending and receiving data to and from the semiconductor
device through the bus to perform processes required for the
controlling.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a semiconductor device
having a configuration in which a signal read out from a memory
cell and transmitted through a bit line is amplified by a sense
amplifier.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, a configuration of a semiconductor memory
device such as a DRAM is known in which a sense amplifier sensing
and amplifying a signal read out from a memory cell through a bit
line and a read circuit transmitting an output signal of the sense
amplifier to a final stage amplifier through hierarchical data
lines (Refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open
No. 2001-57080). In the above conventional read circuit, the output
signal of the sense amplifier is transmitted sequentially from a
local data line to a main data line and inputted to the final stage
amplifier. Generally, an N-channel type transistor as a transfer
gate is used to connect between the local data line and the main
data line or between each data line and a node in the final stage
amplifier. In this case, a configuration in which the N-channel
type transistor is replaced with a P-channel type transistor can be
employed, or a configuration in which both the N-channel type
transistor and the P-channel type transistor are used can be
employed. Or, a configuration is known in which a sub amplifier is
provided halfway in the local/main data lines so as to secondarily
amplify the transmission signal in order to prevent a decrease in
reading speed due to an increase in parasitic capacitance.
[0005] For example, in an example case where a signal is
transmitted sequentially through a pair of local data lines and a
pair of main data lines corresponding to a complementary pair of
bit lines, the output signal of the sense amplifier which is
selected by a column select signal is sequentially transmitted as a
voltage difference of each pair of the data lines. At this point,
the pair of main data lines are previously precharged to a
predetermined voltage and the voltage difference is generated by
drawing charge from one of the pair of main data lines. Then, the
voltage difference is transmitted to the final stage amplifier
through the transfer gate, and data can be outputted to outside
with a desired amplitude.
[0006] However, an external supply voltage or an internal supply
voltage obtained by stepping down the external supply voltage is
supplied to the above read circuit, and a gate voltage for turning
on the N-channel type transistor as the transfer gate is controlled
based on the supply voltage. Therefore, the voltage difference of
the main data lines having a large parasitic capacitance is
required to have a sufficiently large amplitude in order that an
amplitude at the final stage amplifier becomes sufficiently large,
and there is a problem that an operation current required in a
precharge operation or the like increases. Particularly, influence
of the increase in the operation current becomes large when the
number of output bits is increased with the improvement of
integration of the semiconductor memory device.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present invention seeks to solve the above problems and
provides a semiconductor device capable of suppressing an increase
in operating current due to an increase in signal amplitude when
the signal is transmitted through hierarchical data lines from a
sense amplifier.
[0008] One of aspects of the invention is a semiconductor device
capable of selectively reading and transmitting data stored in a
plurality of memory cells through a bit line, the semiconductor
device comprising: a sense amplifier circuit amplifying a signal
transmitted through the bit line; a first data line transmitting
the signal amplified by the sense amplifier circuit; a second data
line transmitting the signal transmitted through the first data
line; a read amplifier circuit driven by a first voltage, the read
amplifier amplifying the signal transmitted through the second data
line; a first switch circuit controlling an electrical connection
between corresponding ends of an output node of the sense amplifier
circuit and the first data line; a second switch circuit
controlling an electrical connection between corresponding ends of
the first and second data lines; a third switch circuit controlling
an electrical connection between corresponding ends of the second
data line and an input node of the read amplifier circuit; a first
voltage setting circuit setting the first data line to a second
voltage lower than the first voltage; and a second voltage setting
circuit setting the second data line to the second voltage. In the
semiconductor device of the invention, each of the second and third
switch circuits includes a first transistor having a gate terminal,
a source terminal and a drain terminal, and a predetermined voltage
obtained by adding the second voltage to a threshold voltage of the
first transistor is applied to the gate terminal thereof, and the
corresponding ends are connected to the source and drain terminals
thereof.
[0009] According to the semiconductor device of the invention, a
signal read out from a memory cell to a bit line is amplified by a
sense amplifier, and is transmitted to a read amplifier circuit
through a first switch circuit, a first data line, a second switch
circuit, a second data line and a third switch circuit. In this
operation, first/second voltage setting circuits set the
first/second data liens to a second voltage, and second/third
switches become a conductive state when a gate voltage is
controlled to be a predetermined voltage obtained by adding a
threshold voltage to a second voltage. Thereby, the read amplifier
circuit is driven by the first voltage higher than the second
voltage, and the signal can be transmitted through the first/second
data lines with a smaller amplitude in comparison with a
conventional configuration with a small amplitude. Therefore, it is
possible to sufficiently suppress an increase in operating current
due to an increase in parasitic capacitance.
[0010] The present invention can be applied to a case in which a
pair of data lines provided corresponding to a complementary pair
of bit lines, and a differential sense amplifier circuit and a
differential read amplifier circuit are configured. The present
invention can be also applied to a case in which the signal is
sequentially transmitted through single ended data lines
corresponding to a single ended bit line, and a single-ended sense
amplifier circuit and a single-ended read amplifier circuit are
configured.
[0011] Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to
a data processing system comprising the semiconductor device, in
addition to the above semiconductor device.
[0012] As describe above, according to the present invention, when
the signal from the sense amplifier circuit to the read amplifier
circuit through hierarchical data lines, the gate voltage applied
to transistors included in the second/third switch circuits can be
relatively small, and thus the operating current required for a
precharge operation or the like can be reduced. Particularly, in a
case where the parasitic capacitance increases due to a long main
data line, or a case where the number of output bits to be read
simultaneously is increased, the effect of reducing the operation
current in the present invention can be drastic. Further,
high-speed sensing can be achieved for the signal with a small
amplitude which is half the small amplitude in the conventional
configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above featured and advantages of the present invention
will be more apparent from the following description of certain
preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an entire configuration of
column circuits in a DRAM of a first embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific circuit configuration
of a portion of a read circuit in the DRAM of the first
embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 3 is diagram showing operation waveforms of various
parts of the read circuit of FIG. 2 corresponding to an operation
to read low-level data from a sense amplifier;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific circuit configuration
of a portion of a read circuit in a DRAM of a second
embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit
configuration of the sense amplifier and its periphery in the DRAM
of the second embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 6 is diagram showing operation waveforms of various
parts of the read circuit of FIG. 4 corresponding to an operation
when low-level data is read out from the sense amplifier first and
thereafter high-level data is read out from the sense amplifier;
and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a
data processing system including a semiconductor device having the
configuration described in the embodiments and a controller
controlling operation of the semiconductor device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Typical examples of a technical idea solving the problems of
the present invention will be shown. However, it goes without
saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples of
this technical idea and consists in the scope of the claimed
invention.
[0022] The technical idea of the present invention is applied to a
semiconductor device in which a sense amplifier circuit (20), a
first data line (LIOT, LIOB), a second data line (MIOT, MIOB) and a
read amplifier circuit (21) are provided, a first switch circuit
(Q10, Q11), a second switch circuit (Q14, Q15) and a third switch
circuit (Q18, Q19) respectively controlling connection of the data
lines are additionally provided, and further a first voltage
setting circuit (Q12, Q13) and a second voltage setting circuit
(Q16, Q17) respectively setting the data liens to a second voltage
(VBLP) are provided. In the semiconductor device, when transistors
(Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19) included in the second/third switch circuits
become conductive, the gate voltage thereof are controlled to be a
predetermined voltage obtained by adding each threshold voltage of
the transistors to the second voltage (VBLP), and the second
voltage (VBLP) applied to sources of the transistors is set lower
than the first voltage (VPERI) for driving the read amplifier
circuit (21). By this configuration, an amplitude of a signal
transmitted from the first data line (LIOT, LIOB) to the second
data line (MIOT, MIOB) can be smaller than that of a signal in the
read amplifier circuit (21), which is effective to reduce operating
current.
[0023] In a first embodiment, high-level data (the second data of
the invention) of a memory cell is indirectly transmitted to an
input terminal (RAT) of the read amplifier circuit without being
amplified. On the other hand, low-level data (the first data of the
invention) of the memory cell is amplified with a small amplitude
and is directly transmitted to the input terminal (RAT) of the read
amplifier circuit.
[0024] In a second embodiment, in a read operation of low-level
data (the second data of the invention) of the memory cell, the
low-level data of the memory cell is indirectly transmitted to an
input terminal (N2) of the read amplifier circuit without being
amplified. On the other hand, in a read operation of high-level
data (the first data of the invention) of the memory cell, the
high-level data of the memory cell is amplified with a small
amplitude and is directly transmitted to the input terminal (N2) of
the read amplifier circuit.
[0025] The following U.S. patent applications are hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully and
completely set forth herein.
(1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/461, 858 filed Aug. 26,
2009 entitled "Sense Amplifier Circuit And Semiconductor Memory
Device", whose inventor is Kazuhiko Kajigaya. (2) U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/382,494 filed Mar. 17, 2009 entitled
"Semiconductor Device Having Single-Ended Sensing Amplifier", whose
inventors are Kazuhiko Kajigaya and Soichiro Yoshida. (3) U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/416,432 filed Apr. 1, 2009 entitled
"Semiconductor Memory Device", whose inventors are Kazuhiko
Kajigaya, Soichiro Yoshida, Tomonori Sekiguchi, Riichiro Takemura
and Yasutoshi Yamada. (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/382,493 filed Mar. 17, 2009 entitled "Semiconductor Device
Having Single-Ended Sensing Amplifier", whose inventor is Kazuhiko
Kajigaya. (5) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/461, 859 filed
Aug. 26, 2009 entitled "Sense Amplifier Circuit And Semiconductor
Memory Device", whose inventor is Kazuhiko Kajigaya
[0026] The invention will be now described herein with reference to
illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize
that many alternative embodiments can be accomplished using the
teachings of the present invention and that the invention is not
limited to the embodiments illustrated for explanatory purposes. In
the following, the present invention is applied to a DRAM (Dynamic
Random Access Memory) as an example of a semiconductor device.
First Embodiment
[0027] The first embodiment of the present invention will be
described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram mainly showing an entire
configuration of column circuits in a DRAM of the first embodiment.
In the block diagram of FIG. 1, a plurality of memory cell arrays
10 are provided, and a sense amplifier row 11, a word driver 12, a
predetermined number of column select circuits 13, a switch circuit
14 and an array control circuit 15 are provided attached to each of
the memory cell arrays 10. Further, a column decoder 16, a switch
circuit 17, a column control circuit 18 and a read amplifier row 19
are provided attached to the entire column circuits. The plurality
of memory cell arrays 10 are arranged in a bit line direction
together with the sense amplifier rows 11 in the layout of the
DRAM.
[0028] In each of the memory cell arrays 10, a plurality of word
lines WL and a plurality of bit lines BLT/BLB intersecting the word
lines WL are arranged, and a plurality of memory cells MC are
formed at every two intersections. An adjacent pair of bit lines
BLT/BLB forms a complementary pair and is connected to each sense
amplifier included in the sense amplifier row 11. A word line WL
selected in the memory cell array 10 is driven by the word driver
12 and a signal is read out from a corresponding memory cell MC as
a voltage difference of the pair of bit lines BLT/BLB. Then, the
sense amplifier connected to the pair of bit line BLT/BLB amplifies
and latches the read out signal.
[0029] The column select circuit 13 controls connection between the
bit lines BLT/BLB and local data lines LIOT/LIOB in response to a
column select signal YS supplied from the column decoder 16. The
column decoder 16 is arranged at one end of the plurality of memory
cell arrays 10 and activates one column select signal YS
corresponding to a decoding result of a Y address among a plurality
of column select signals YS. In the example of FIG. 1, a pair of
local data lines LIOT(0)/LIOB(0) and a pair of local data lines
LIOT(1)/LIOB(1) are arranged in parallel corresponding to each of
the memory cell arrays 10. Thus, two pairs of (four) bit lines
BLT/BLB and two pairs of (four) local data lines LIOT/LIOB are
connected to each column select circuit 13.
[0030] The switch circuit 14 controls connection between the local
data lines LIOT/LIOB and the main data lines MIOT/MIOB in response
to a control signal S1 supplied from the array control circuit
15.
[0031] In the example of FIG. 1, a pair of main data lines
MIOT(0)/MIOB(0) corresponding to the pair of local data lines
LIOT(0)/LIOB(0) and a pair of main data lines MIOT(1)/MIOB(1)
corresponding to the pair of local data lines LIOT(1)/LIOB(1) are
arranged in parallel. Thus, two pairs of (four) local data lines
LIOT/LIOB and two pairs of (four) main data lines MIOT/MIOB are
connected to each other.
[0032] In the first embodiment, it will be assumed that the pair of
local data lines LIOT/LIOB and the pair of main data lines
MIOT/MIOB exist in the following description of configuration and
operation. However, in a case where two or more pairs of respective
lines are arranged, configuration and operation are the same for
each pair.
[0033] The switch circuit 17 controls connection between the main
data lines MIOT/MIOB and the read amplifier row 19 in response to a
control signal S2 supplied from the column control circuit 18. The
read amplifier row 19 includes two read amplifiers which amplify
signals transmitted through the pair of main data lines
MIOT(0)/MIOB(0) and the pair of main data lines MIOT(1)/MIOB(1)
respectively.
[0034] FIG. 2 shows a specific circuit configuration of a portion
of the read circuit in the DRAM of the first embodiment. The
circuit configuration of FIG. 2 includes one sense amplifier 20 in
the sense amplifier row 11, a pair of local data lines
LIOT/LIOB(the first data lines of the invention) and a pair of main
data lines MIOT/MIOB (the second data line of the invention)
sequentially connected from the sense amplifier 20, circuit
portions corresponding to the column select circuit 13 and the
switch circuits 14, 17, and one read amplifier 21 in the read
amplifier row 19, and 10 transistor Q10 to Q19 in total are
provided, in the block diagram shown in FIG. 1. In addition, one
pair of bit lines BLT/BLB connected to the sense amplifier 20 and
one memory cell MC arranged at an intersection of a word line WL
and a bit line BLT are also shown in FIG. 2. Here, various circuit
configurations may be employed for the sense amplifier 20. For
example, a well-known circuit configuration in which the bit lines
BLT/BLB as input nodes of the sense amplifier 20 and output nodes
SAT/SAB thereof are commonly connected and inputs and outputs of
two inverters are cross-coupled (circuit configuration in which the
input nodes and the output nodes are respectively common) may be
employed, or a circuit configuration in which the input nodes and
the output nodes are separated may be employed.
[0035] A pair of N-channel type transistors Q10 and Q11 (the first
switch circuit of the invention) is included in the column select
circuit 13 of FIG. 1. One transistor Q10 has a source (one
terminal) and a drain (the other terminal) connected between one
output node SAB of the sense amplifier 20 and one local data line
LIOB. The other transistor Q11 has a source (one terminal) and a
drain (the other terminal) connected between the other output node
SAT of the sense amplifier 20 and the other local data line LIOT.
The column select signal YS is applied to gates of both transistors
Q10 and Q11. A pair of output nodes SAT/SAB of the sense amplifier
20 and the pair of local data lines LIOT/LIOB are connected to each
other when the column select signal YS is at a high level which is
equal to or larger than a level of an internal supply voltage VPERI
(the first voltage of the invention or a greater voltage), and are
disconnected from each other when the column select signal YS is at
a low level. Here, "gate terminal" may be simply referred to as
"gate", "source terminal" may be simply referred to as "source",
and "drain terminal" may be simply referred to as "drain".
[0036] A pair of N-channel type transistors Q12 and Q13 (the first
voltage setting circuit of the invention) is connected in series
between the pair of local data lines LIOT/LIOB. These transistors
Q12 and Q13 has a gate to which a control signal PCL is applied and
a source to which a precharge voltage VBLP (the second voltage of
the invention) is applied. When the control signal PCL is at a high
level, the pair of local data lines LIOT/LIOB is precharged to the
precharge voltage VBLP via the transistors Q12 and Q13.
[0037] A pair of N-channel type transistors Q14 and Q15 (the second
switch circuit of the invention; the first transistor) is included
in the switch circuit 14 of FIG. 1. One transistor Q14 has a source
(one terminal) and a drain (the other terminal) connected between
one local data line LIOB and one main data line MIOB. The other
transistor Q15 has a source (one terminal) and a drain (the other
terminal) connected between the other local data line LIOT and the
other main data line MIOT. The control signal S1 is applied to
gates of both transistors Q14 and Q15. The pair of local data lines
LIOT/LIO and the pair of main data lines MIOT/MIOB are electrically
connected to each other when the control signal S1 is at the high
level, and are electrically disconnected from each other when the
control signal S1 is at the low level.
[0038] A pair of N-channel type transistors Q16 and Q17 (the second
voltage setting circuit of the invention) is connected in series
between the pair of main data lines MIOT/MIOB. Each of these
transistors Q16 and Q17 has a gate to which a control signal PCM is
applied and a source to which the precharge voltage VBLP is
applied. When the control signal S1 is at the high level, the pair
of main data lines MIOT/MIOB is precharged to the precharge voltage
VBLP via the transistors Q16 and Q17.
[0039] A pair of N-channel type transistor Q18 and Q19 (the third
switch circuit of the invention; the first transistor) is included
in the switch circuit 17 of FIG. 1. One transistor Q18 has a source
(one terminal) and a drain (the other terminal) connected between
one main data line MIOB and one node RAB of the read amplifier 21.
The other transistor Q19 has a source (one terminal) and a drain
(the other terminal) connected between the other main data line
MIOT and the other node RAT of the read amplifier 21. The control
signal S2 is applied to gates of both transistors Q18 and Q19. The
pair of main data lines MIOT/MIOB and the pair of nodes RAT/RAB of
the read amplifier 21 are electrically connected to each other when
the control signal S2 is at the high level, and are electrically
disconnected from each other when the control signal S2 is at the
low level. Then, the read amplifier 21 outputs data RD.
[0040] In addition, the read amplifier 21 is driven by the internal
supply voltage VPERI (the first voltage of the invention), and the
pair of nodes RAT/RAB is precharged to the internal supply voltage
VPERI by a voltage setting circuit (not shown) inside the read
amplifier 21. In the embodiments, a relation VPERI>VBLP is
assumed. For example, VPERI=1V and VBLP=0.5V are set. In this
example, the precharge voltage VBLP is set to an intermediate
voltage between the internal supply voltage VPERI and a ground
potential. However, without being limited to this setting, desired
relations of voltages that satisfy VPERI>VBLP can be set, as
long as effects of the present invention are achieved. In addition,
the read amplifier 21 may have a configuration in which the input
nodes and the output nodes are common, or have a configuration in
which the input nodes and the output nodes are separated.
[0041] Next, an operation of the read circuit of FIG. 2 will be
described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows operation
waveforms of various parts of the read circuit of FIG. 2, which
correspond to an operation when low-level data (the first data of
the invention) is read out from the sense amplifier 20. The
operation waveforms are represented separately in upper and lower
parts of FIG. 3. The column select signal YS, the control signals
S1/S2 and the control signals PCL/PCM are respectively represented
in the upper part of FIG. 3, and the local data lines LIOT/LIOB,
the main data lines MIOT/MIOB and the nodes RAT/RAB in the read
amplifier 21 are respectively represented in the lower part of FIG.
3. In addition, high level of most of the operation waveforms in
FIG. 3 is the internal supply voltage VPERI, while low level
thereof is the ground potential VSS.
[0042] In an initial period of FIG. 3, since the control signals
PCL/PCM are both at the high level, the local data lines LIOT/LIOB
and the main data lines MIOT/MIOB are both in a state of being
precharged to the precharge voltage VBLP. The bit lines BLT/BLB and
the output nodes SAT/SAB of the sense amplifier 20 are precharged
to the internal supply voltage VPERI by the voltage setting
circuit. Then, when a read command is inputted, the control signal
PCL is changed to the low level and the precharging of the local
data lines LIOT/LIOB is cancelled. Subsequently, the column select
signal YS is changed to the high level at timing t0, and the
control signal PCM is changed to the low level. At this point, the
precharging of the main data lines MIOT/MIOB is cancelled, and the
control signals S1/52 are controlled to be a voltage VBLP+Vtn (the
predetermined voltage of the invention) which is obtained by adding
a threshold voltage Vtn (the threshold voltage of the first
transistor of the invention) of an N-channel type transistor to the
precharge voltage VBLP. Thus, the low-level data latched in the
sense amplifier 20 is read out to the read amplifier 21
sequentially through the output nodes SAT/SAB, the local data lines
LIOT/LIOB, the main data lines MIOT/MIOB and the nodes RAT/RAB, as
described later. For example, if Vtn is 0.1v, the predetermined
voltage is 0.6v.
[0043] At timing t0, the potential of the local data line LIOT is
changed from the precharge voltage VBLP to the low level (the third
voltage of the invention) in the first direction in the read
operation of the low-level data from the sense amplifier 20, and
the potential of the main data line MIOT is gradually lowered to
the low level (the fifth voltage of the invention) in the first
direction via the transistor Q15. Meanwhile, the output node SAB of
the sense amplifier 20 becomes the high level in the second
direction whose polarity is reverse to that of the output node SAT,
and the potential of the local data line LIOB gradually rises to
the high level (the fourth voltage of the invention) in the second
direction via the transistor Q10. Therefore, the transistor Q14 is
not turned on, and the main data line MIOB is maintained at the
precharge voltage VBLP. In addition, rates of change of the above
potentials are influenced by magnitudes of parasitic capacitances
and conductive resistance values of the transistors.
[0044] Since the potential of the main data line MIOT becomes the
fifth voltage lower than the precharge voltage VBPL, the transistor
Q19 turns on so that charge begins to be drawn from the node RAT of
the read amplifier 21. That is, the charge drawn along a path of
the main data line MIOT and the local data line LIOT is supplied
from the node RAT (charge sharing). Therefore, the potential of the
main data line MIOT changes with a small amplitude (between the
precharge voltage VBLP and the fifth voltage), and in contrast the
potential of the node RAT having parasitic capacitance much smaller
than that of the main data line MIOT changes with a large
amplitude. As a result, a large voltage difference (Vd) appears
between the pair of nodes RAT/RAB. As shown in FIG. 3, since a
required voltage difference Vd is obtained between the pair of
nodes RAT/RAB at timing t1, a signal corresponding to the voltage
difference Vd is latched by activating the read amplifier 21.
[0045] The control signals S1/S2 are changed from the above voltage
VBLP+Vtn to the low level at the timing t1. Subsequently, when the
column select signal YS is changed from the high level to the low
level, the control signal PCM is changed from the low level to the
high level. Thereafter, the control signal PCL is also changed from
the low level to the high level. By controlling in this manner, the
output nodes SAT/SAB of the sense amplifier 20, the local data
lines LIOT/LIOB, the main data lines MIOT/MIOB, and the nodes
RAT/RAB of the read amplifier 21 are disconnected from one another
and shift to the precharge state again, respectively. In addition,
by always maintaining the control signal 51 at the high level, the
first voltage setting circuit (transistors Q12 and Q13) and the
second voltage setting circuit (transistors Q16 and Q17) can be
commonly used.
[0046] Regarding an operation for a case where high-level data (the
second data of the invention) is read out from the sense amplifier
20, behaviors of the bit lines BLT/BLB, the local data lines
LIOT/LIOB and the main data lines MIOT/MIOB are reverse to those in
the case where the low-level data (the first data of the invention)
is read out from the sense amplifier 20.
[0047] As described above, in the configuration of the first
embodiment, the read amplifier 21 is driven by the internal supply
voltage VPERI, and in a state where the pair of local data lines
LIOT/LIOB and the pair of main data lines MIOT/MIOB are set to the
precharge voltage VBLP (VBLP<VPERI), the second switch circuit
(transistors Q14 and Q15) and the third switch circuit (transistors
Q18 and Q19) are controlled to become conductive by setting the
voltage VBLP+Vtn. Therefore, the signal transmitted from the sense
amplifier 20 through the respective data lines can be sent to the
read amplifier 21 in a state of having a small amplitude. That is,
in the read operation of the low-level data (the first data of the
invention) from the sense amplifier 20, the potentials of the main
data line MIOB and the node RAB of the read amplifier 21, which are
inverted from the transmitted signal, can be maintained at the
voltage VBLP without fluctuation, and the data of the memory cell
MC is indirectly transmitted to the read amplifier circuit. On the
other hand, the potentials of the main data line MIOT and the node
RAT of the read amplifier 21, which are in phase with the
transmitted signal, can be enlarged in amplitude, and the data of
the memory cell MC is directly transmitted to the read amplifier
circuit. In other words, the high-level data of the memory cell MC
is indirectly transmitted to the input terminal (node RAT) of the
read amplifier circuit without being amplified. On the other hand,
the low-level data of the memory cell MC is amplified with the
small amplitude and is directly transmitted to the input terminal
(node RAT) of the read amplifier circuit. In this case, the
amplitude for the main data lines MIOT/MIOB, which is generally
regarded to have a large parasitic capacitance, can be reduced to
at least half that of the conventional configuration, thereby
achieving a great effect of reducing operating current.
Second Embodiment
[0048] The second embodiment of the present invention will be
described below. In the second embodiment, there is not provided a
complementary configuration (T/B) using the pair of local data
lines LIOT/LIOB and the pair of main data lines MIOT/MIOB as in the
first embodiment. In contrast, the second embodiment employs a
single-ended configuration using one local data line LIO and one
main data line MIO, and has a feature that an amplifier 22 is
arranged between the main data line MIO and the read amplifier 21a.
In addition, components of the block diagram of FIG. 1 are common
in the second embodiment if circuit portions corresponding to the
bit line BL, the local data line LIO and the main data line MIO are
replaced with single ended circuit configurations, so description
thereof will be omitted.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a specific circuit configuration of a portion
of the read circuit in the DRAM of the second embodiment. The
circuit configuration of FIG. 4 corresponds to the same range in
FIG. 2 of the first embodiment, which includes one sense amplifier
20a, one local data line LIO (the first data line of the
invention), one main data line MIO (the second data line of the
invention), circuit portions corresponding to the switch circuits
14, 17, one amplifier 22, and one read amplifier 21a, and nine
transistors Q20 to Q28 in total are provided therein.
[0050] The sense amplifier 20a is connected to one bit line BL,
amplifies a signal transmitted from a memory cell MC at an
intersection of a selected word line WL, and outputs the signal to
an output node N1. In the second embodiment, the sense amplifier
20a has a single-ended configuration, and a specific configuration
example thereof will be described later. The N-channel type
transistor Q20 (the first switch circuit of the invention) is
connected between the output node N1 of the sense amplifier 20a and
the local data line LIO, and the column select signal YS is applied
to its gate.
[0051] The N-channel type transistor Q21 (the first voltage setting
circuit of the invention) is connected between the precharge
voltage VBLP and the local data line LIO, and the control signal
PCL is applied to its gate. When the control signal PCL is at the
high level, the local data line LIO is precharged to the voltage
VBLP.
[0052] The N-channel type transistor Q22 (the second switch circuit
of the invention) controls connection between the local data line
LIO and the main data line MIO in response to the control signal S1
applied to its gate.
[0053] The N-channel type transistor Q23 (the first voltage setting
circuit of the invention) is connected between the precharge
voltage VBLP and the main data line MIO, and the control signal PCM
is applied to its gate. When the control signal PCM is at the high
level, the main data line MIO is precharged to the precharge
voltage VBLP. The N-channel type transistor Q24 (the third switch
circuit of the invention) controls connection between the main data
line MIO and a node N2 of the amplifier 22 in response to the
control signal S2 applied to its gate. The P-channel type
transistor Q25 controls connection between the internal supply
voltage VPERI and the node N2, and a control signal PC1 is applied
to its gate. When the control signal PC1 is at the low level, the
node N2 is precharged to the internal supply voltage VPERI.
[0054] The amplifier 22 is a single-ended amplifier and is composed
of two N-channel type transistor Q26 and Q27 connected in series
between a node N3 and the ground potential VSS. The gate of the
transistor Q26 is connected to the node N2, a control signal LTC is
applied to the gate of the transistor Q27, and an input signal via
the node N2 is amplified and outputted to the node N3 as one
terminal of the transistor Q27. Here, the order of the series
connected transistors Q26 and Q27 can be reversed.
[0055] The P-channel type transistor Q28 is connected between the
internal supply voltage VPERI and the node N3, and a control signal
PC2 is applied to its gate. When the control signal PC2 is at the
low level, the node N3 is precharged to the internal supply voltage
VPERI. The node N3 is connected to an input terminal of the read
amplifier 21a, and data RD is outputted from the read amplifier
21a. In addition, the read amplifier 21a, the single-ended
amplifier 22, and the transistors Q25 and Q28 function integrally
as the read amplifier circuit of the present invention.
[0056] Here, FIG. 5 shows an example of the circuit configuration
of the sense amplifier 20a of FIG. 4 and its periphery. The circuit
configuration of FIG. 5 includes a preamplifier 30 and a sense
latch circuit 31 which form the single-ended sense amplifier 20a,
and also includes one memory cell MC arranged corresponding to the
sense amplifier 20a. Although FIG. 5 shows one memory cell MC, a
plurality of memory cells MC capable of being selectively connected
to one bit line BL are practically arranged.
[0057] The memory cell MC is composed of an N-channel type select
transistor Q0 and a capacitor Cs storing data as charge. The select
transistor Q0 has a source connected to the bit line BL and a gate
connected to the word line WL. The capacitor Cs is connected
between the drain of the select transistor Q0 and a cell plate
voltage VPLT.
[0058] The preamplifier 30 includes five N-channel type transistors
Q30, Q31, Q32, Q33 and Q34. The transistor Q30 functioning as a
charge transfer gate is connected between the bit line BL and a
sense node Ns in the preamplifier 30, and a control voltage Vg is
applied to its gate. The transistor Q31 functioning as an
amplifying element is a single-ended amplifier and has a gate
connected to the sense node Ns. The transistor Q31 senses and
amplifies a signal transmitted from the bit line BL via the
transistor Q30, and converts the signal into a drain current. This
drain current flows from a node N4 between the preamplifier 30 and
the sense latch circuit 31 to the ground through the transistors
Q33 and Q31. Here, the order of the series connected transistors
Q33 and Q31 can be reversed.
[0059] A control signal PC is applied to the gate of the transistor
Q32 for precharging, and the transistor Q32 precharges the sense
node Ns to the ground potential when the control signal PC is at
the high level. When the sense node Ns is precharged, the bit line
BL is also precharged to the ground potential via the transistor
Q30. The transistor Q33 for read control controls connection
between the node N4 and the transistor Q31 in response to a control
signal RT applied to its gate. The transistor Q34 for write control
controls connection between the node N4 and the sense node Ns gate
in response to a control signal WT applied to its gate.
[0060] The sense latch circuit 31 subsequent to the preamplifier 30
includes three P-channel type transistors Q35, Q38 and Q40 and
seven N-channel type transistors Q36, Q37, Q39, Q41, Q42, Q43 and
Q44. The transistor Q35 for precharging is connected between a
supply voltage VDD and the node N4. The transistor Q35 precharges
the node N4 to the supply voltage VDD when an inverted control
signal /PC applied to its gate is at the low level. The transistor
Q36 controls connection between the node N4 and a node N5 in
response to a control signal SL applied to its gate. The transistor
Q37 controls connection between the node N4 and a node N6 in
response to a control signal SR applied to its gate. In addition,
the supply voltage VDD may have a voltage value equal to that of
the internal supply voltage VPERI. Further, a transistor for
precharging (not shown) is connected between the internal supply
voltage VPERI and the output node N1 of the sense amplifier 20a and
has a gate to which the inverted control signal /PC is applied.
[0061] The transistors Q38, Q39, Q40 and Q41 form a latch, which
detects and binarizes a signal voltage transmitted from the
preamplifier 30 to the node N4 and latches the signal. A pair of
transistors Q38 and Q39 having gates connected to the node N5 forms
a sensing inverter having a relatively large driving force, and a
pair of transistors Q40 and Q41 having gates connected to the node
N6 forms a latching inverter having a relatively small driving
force. Each of the two inverters (the sensing and latching
inverters) has a circuit configuration in which inputs and outputs
are cross-coupled to each other. The transistor Q42 for write
operation is connected between the output node N1 and the node N5,
and a control signal WE is applied to its gate. Further, the two
transistors Q43 and Q44 for read operation are connected in series
between the output node N1 and the ground. The gate of the
transistor Q43 as the single-ended amplifier is connected to the
node N6, and a control signal RE is applied to the gate of the
transistor Q44. Here, the order of the series connected transistors
Q43 and Q44 can be reversed.
[0062] Next, an operation of the read circuit of FIG. 4 will be
described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows operation
waveforms of various parts of the read circuit of FIG. 4, which
correspond to an operation when low-level data (the second data of
the invention) is read out from the sense amplifier 20 first and
thereafter high-level data (the first data of the invention) is
read out from the sense amplifier 20. The operation waveforms are
represented separately in upper, middle and lower parts of FIG. 6.
In FIG. 6, the column select signal YS, the control signals S1/S2
and the control signals PCL/PCM are respectively represented in the
upper part, the control signals PC1/PC2 and LTC are represented in
the middle part, and the local data line LIO, the main data line
MIO and the nodes N2 and N3 are respectively represented in the
lower part.
[0063] In a first half of the read operation of FIG. 6 reading the
low-level data from the memory cell MC, since the control signals
PCL/PCM are both at the high level, the local data line LIO and the
main data line MIO are both in a state of being precharged to the
precharge voltage VBLP. Then, when the read command is inputted,
the control signal PCL is changed to the low level and the
precharging of the local data line LIO is cancelled. Subsequently,
the column select signal YS is changed to the high level at timing
t10, and the control signal PCM is changed to the low level.
Further, the control signals PC1/PC2 are changed to the high level.
At this point, the precharging of the main data line MIO and the
nodes N2 and N3 is cancelled, and the control signals S1/S2 are
controlled to be the above voltage VBLP+Vtn (the predetermined
voltage of the first transistor of the invention). Thus, the
low-level data latched in the sense amplifier 20a is read out to
the read amplifier 21a sequentially through the output node N1, the
local data line LIO, the main data line MIO, the amplifier 22 and
the node N3, as described later.
[0064] The output node N1 of the sense amplifier 20a is maintained
at the high level, the local data line LIO is maintained at the
precharge voltage VBLP, and the transistor Q22 does not turn on.
Similarly, the main data line MIO is maintained at the precharge
voltage VBLP, and the transistor Q24 does not turn on. In addition,
since the gate voltage of the transistor Q24 is near the threshold
voltage thereof, a slight off current (leak current) actually flows
therein. Further, the node N2 of the amplifier 22 at this point is
being maintained approximately at the internal supply voltage VPERI
(maintaining the second data of the invention). Although the
voltage drop of the node N2 due to the off current is exaggerated
in FIG. 6, the voltage drop is actually within 0.01V from the
internal supply voltage VPERI, and thus the node N2 is
substantially maintained at the internal supply voltage VPERI. This
is because an activation time (high-level period) of the control
signal PC1 in accessing the memory cell MC is short.
[0065] Subsequently, when the control signal LTC is changed to the
high level at timing t11, charge is drawn from the node N3 through
the transistors Q27 and Q26, thereby changing the node N3 from the
high level to the low level. Thereby, the latching state of the
read amplifier 21a is inverted, and as a result the data RD is
inverted. Thereafter, the control signals S1/S2 are returned to the
low level, the control signal PCM is returned to the high level,
and the control signal LTC is returned to the low level. Further,
the column select signal YS is returned to the low level, and the
control signal PCL is returned to the high level. By controlling in
this manner, the output node N1, the local data line LIO, the main
data line MIO and the nodes N2 and N3 are disconnected from one
another and shift to the precharge state again, respectively.
Thereafter, the control signals PC1/PC2 are returned to the low
level, the node N3 changes to the high level so that the read
amplifier 21a is reset, and the data RD returns to the former
state.
[0066] Next, in a second half of the read operation of FIG. 6
reading the high-level data from the memory cell MC, controls for
the respective control signals around timing t12 are the same as
those in the above read operation of the low level. Meanwhile, the
output node N1 of the sense amplifier 20a at this point is shifted
to the low level by controlling the control signal RE in the sense
amplifier 20a to be the high level. Then, charge is drawn from the
local data line LIO to the ground potential (the third voltage of
the invention) in the first direction in response to the column
select signal YS. Therefore, the potential of the local data line
LIO decreases at the timing t12, and the transistor Q22 turns on.
Thereby, charge is drawn from the main data line MIO through the
transistor Q22, and the potential of the main data line MIO
gradually decreases to the low level (the fifth voltage of the
invention) in the first direction.
[0067] Subsequently, since the potential of the main data line MIO
becomes the fifth voltage lower than the precharge voltage VBLP,
the transistor Q24 also turns on. Thereby, charge begins to be
drawn from the node N2 of the amplifier 22 through the transistor
Q24 so that the potential thereof decreases. That is, the charge
drawn along a path of the main data line MIO and the local data
line LIO is supplied from the node N2 (charge sharing). Therefore,
the potential of the main data line MIO changes with a small
amplitude (between the precharge voltage VBLP and the fifth
voltage), and in contrast the potential of the node N2 having
parasitic capacitance much smaller than that of the main data line
MIO changes with a large amplitude. As a result, a large voltage
difference is obtained in the amplifier 22.
[0068] Subsequently, when the control signal LTC is changed to the
high level at timing t13, the transistor Q26 is not sufficiently
driven because the potential of the node N2 sufficiently decreases
at this point, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the latching state
of the read amplifier 21a is not inverted, and the read operation
continues to latch the initial data RD. Subsequent controls for the
respective control signals are the same as those in the first half
of the read operation of the low level if FIG. 6.
[0069] As described above, in the configuration of the second
embodiment, in a state of where the read amplifier 21a and the
nodes N2 and N3 of the amplifier 22 are previously precharged to
the internal supply voltage VPERI and the local data line LIO and
the main data line MIO are precharged to the precharge voltage VBLP
(VBLP<VPERI), the second switch circuit (transistor Q22) and the
third switch circuit (transistor Q24) are controlled to become
conductive at the predetermined voltage as the voltage VBLP+Vtn.
Therefore, the signal transmitted from the sense amplifier 20a
through the respective data lines can be sent to the amplifier 22
in a state of having a small amplitude. That is, in the read
operation of the low-level data (the second data of the invention),
the potentials of the main data line MIO and the node N2 of the
read amplifier 21a can be maintained at the voltage VBLP without
fluctuation, and the data of the memory cell MC is indirectly
transmitted to the read amplifier circuit. On the other hand, in
the read operation of the high-level data (the first data of the
invention), the potentials of the main data line MIO and the node
N2 of the read amplifier 21a can be enlarged in amplitude, and the
data of the memory cell MC is directly transmitted to the read
amplifier circuit. In other words, in the read operation of the
low-level data, the low-level data of the memory cell MC is
indirectly transmitted to the input terminal (node N2) of the read
amplifier circuit without being amplified. On the other hand, in
the read operation of the high-level data, the high-level data of
the memory cell MC is amplified with the small amplitude and is
directly transmitted to the input terminal (node N2) of the read
amplifier circuit. In the second embodiment, the amplitude for the
main data line MIO can be suppressed when a large parasitic
capacitance exists, and the effect of reducing operating current
can be achieved in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
Further, in a single ended configuration employing a charge
transfer method, even if the driving force is not enough to
directly invert the state of the read amplifier 21a, the voltage
difference (voltage difference between the voltage VBLP and the low
level as the fifth voltage) which is smaller than that of the
conventional configuration is obtained by the charge transfer, and
the amplifier 22 can be driven by this voltage difference, so that
the state of the read amplifier 21a can be easily inverted.
[0070] Next, a case in which the present invention is applied to a
system including a semiconductor device will be described. FIG. 7
shows a configuration example of a data processing system including
a semiconductor device 100 having the configuration described in
the embodiments and a controller 200 controlling operation of the
semiconductor device 100.
[0071] The semiconductor device 100 is provided with a memory cell
array 101, a back-end interface 102 and a front-end interface 103.
In the memory cell array 101, a predetermined number of memory cell
arrays 10 each including a large number of memory cells MC of the
embodiments are arranged. The back-end interface 102 includes
peripheral circuits around the memory cell arrays 10 of FIG. 1, the
local data lines LIOT/LIOB and the global data lines MIOT/MIOB. The
front-end interface 103 has a function to communicate with the
controller 200 through a command bus and an I/O bus. Although FIG.
7 shows one semiconductor device 100, a plurality of semiconductor
devices 100 can be provided in the system.
[0072] The controller 200 is provided with a command issuing
circuit 201 and a data processing circuit 202, and controls
operation of the system as a whole and the operation of the
semiconductor device 100. The controller 200 is connected with the
command bus and the I/O bus, and additionally has an interface for
external connection. The command issuing circuit 201 sends commands
to the semiconductor device 100 through the command bus. The data
processing circuit 202 sends and receives data to and from the
semiconductor device 100 through the data bus and performs
processes required for the controlling. In addition, the
semiconductor device of the embodiment may be included in the
controller 200 in FIG. 7.
[0073] The data processing system of FIG. 7 is, for example, a
system implemented in electronics devices such as personal
computers, communication electronics devices, mobile electronics
devices and other industrial/consumer electronics devices.
[0074] In the foregoing, the preferred embodiment of the present
invention has been described. However the present invention is not
limited to the above embodiment and can variously be modified
without departing the essentials of the present invention, and the
present invention obviously covers the various modifications. That
is, the present invention covers the various modifications which
those skilled in the art can carry out in accordance with all
disclosures including claims and technical ideas.
[0075] For example, although the configuration of the DRAM as the
semiconductor device provided with hierarchical data lines has been
described in the embodiments, the present invention is not limited
to the DRAM and can be applied to various semiconductor devices
such as CPU (Central Processing Unit), MCU (Micro Control Unit),
DSP (Digital Signal Processor), ASIC (Application Specific
Integrated Circuit), ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product)
and the like, all of which includes a memory unit.
[0076] Further, the present invention can be applied to various
devices such as SOC (System on Chip), MCP (Multi Chip Package) and
POP (Package on Package) and the like. Various cell structures can
be employed for the select transistor Q0 of the memory cell MC. A
vertical transistor can be employed for the structure of the select
transistor Q0 and other transistors in the semiconductor
device.
[0077] Further, FETs (Field Effect Transistors) can be used for the
transistors (the first transistor of the invention) in the
embodiments. Also various FETs other than MOS (Metal Oxide
Semiconductor) transistors can be used, which includes, for
example, MIS (Metal-Insulator Semiconductor), TFT (Thin Film
Transistor). Transistors other than FETs can be used for other
transistors, which may include bipolar transistors. Further, an
N-channel type transistors (NMOS transistors) is a typical example
of a first conductive type transistor, and a P-channel type
transistor (PMOS transistor) is a typical example of a second
conductive type transistor. Furthermore, an N-TYPE semiconductor
substrate can be used other than a P-type semiconductor substrate,
and also a semiconductor substrate having SOI (Silicon on
Insulator) structure or other type semiconductor substrates can be
used.
[0078] Further, various circuit configurations can be employed for
the sense amplifier 20, the read amplifier 21, the respective
switch circuits, and the respective voltage setting circuits,
without being limited to the circuit configurations described in
the embodiments.
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